Contra Callers July 2014

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

1 participants
21 discussions

by Dugan Murphy via Callers

Hi Maia, It sounds like what you're talking about is a more complex version of Michael Dyck's Contradance Index: http://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/index/. So a publicly accessible database already exists, but it is only searchable by title or author (not by figure or figure combination) and there is actually no dance choreography in it (all search results are references to where the dance is published elsewhere, either in print on online). Dugan Murphy Skowhegan, Maine On Mon, Jul 28, 2014 at 1:30 PM, via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > wrote: > Send Callers mailing list submissions to > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > callers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > callers-owner(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Giant dance database? (Maia McCormick via Callers) > 2. Re: Giant dance database? (Jeff Kaufman via Callers) > 3. Re: Giant dance database? (Aaron Redfern via Callers) > 4. Re: Giant dance database? (Chris Page via Callers) > 5. Re: Giant dance database? (Dave C via Callers) > 6. Re: Giant dance database? (Luke Donforth via Callers) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2014 10:46:22 -0400 > From: Maia McCormick via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: [Callers] Giant dance database? > Message-ID: > < > CAHUcZGPnOw-jPZ0J0YuXJg-uqXm2+Vj--ZC8OxSiT1qw-NAQLQ(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Hi all, > > I'm currently in programming school casting about for programming projects, > and I had the idea of a giant searchable contradance database, where you > can filter by move combination, etc. > > My question: is this something people would be interested in having? Or > does it run the risk of infringing on intellectual property, or > shortchanging dance writers on book sales, etc.? (Obviously no dances would > be included without the author's permission, but it may be that making a > huge ton of dances freely available and searchable in one place online > would be a death blow to published books of dances, or have some other > negative effect I'm not foreseeing right now...) > > Anyway: does anyone have any thoughts on this project? > > Cheers, > Maia > _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years

Name this Robert Cromertie dance!

by tallygal007 via Callers

Improper A1: circle L 1.0; N swing A2: DTH, #2 lady right hand high, left hand low, so #1 man ducks under arch and men swap sides and lady twists around; return B1: P B&S B2: Bal ring, pet; Bal ring, CA twrill. It's an easy dance but with a twist, literally! Thanks, Vicki Herndon, for sharing. Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 1 month

Awkward transition into contra corners

by Gary Shapiro via Callers

In another thread the awkward transition for the women from the arm-around assisted cast to the right-hand turn was pointed out. In ECD, we would do an unassisted cast in such a situation. Why not undo a little bit of the folk process and go back to that? _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Name this Robert Cromertie dance!

by via Callers

Melanie Axel-Lute's "Pam's Four" does use the sequence (Lady 2 does a RH high LH low WHILE Lady 1 simply turns in place). Pam's Four Melanie Axel-Lute A1 Down hall, 2s in cntr, Lady 2 RH hi LH lo – Lady 1 trn alone – up the hall A2 Partner is with you B/S long swing, end face across B1 Ladies Chain (8) Bal ring (4) Petr once (4) B2 Bal ring (4), Petr to New N New N swing and ....down the hall Note that the Petronella goes across the B1/2 break April Blum In a message dated 7/23/2014 5:04:25 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net writes: _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Name this Robert Cromertie dance!

by tallygal007 via Callers

Hi. Yes, that's my question--I don't know it's name. My friend who called this dance the other night and posted to FB only knows it's by Robert Cromertie so I thought I'd ask you guys. Yes, #1 lady on the outside turns alone, #2 lady and #2 gent raise hands, #1 gent ducks through, lady twists around and now everyone is next to their P to return to place for the B&S in B1. I could have written it better. I never heard the term "Dixie twirl" so even without the name of the dance I have a name for the figure. Thank you all! Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Keith Tuxhorn via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> </div><div>Date:07/23/2014 2:06 PM (GMT-05:00) </div><div>To: Dave Casserly <david.j.casserly(a)gmail.com> </div><div>Cc: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net </div><div>Subject: Re: [Callers] Name this Robert Cromertie dance! </div><div> </div>First of all, do you know the name of this dance? That's what the original Q was. I researched the R Cromartie dances I could find, and this is none of them. And I've now figured out the bad wording in A2 and understand the dance. A2 Down the hall; W2 Dixie twirls the two M, while W1 lets go and turns alone; come back up "Lady twists around" is not a clear direction. Keith On Wed, Jul 23, 2014 at 12:34 PM, Dave Casserly <david.j.casserly(a)gmail.com> wrote: Ahh, I see: it's the A1/A2 where there's confusion. It's the second lady who does the right hand high, left hand low. So, after that move, she is facing up the set, with her neighbor in her left hand, and her partner in her right hand. The first lady is on the left end of the set, facing up. So the balance and swing is on the side of the set, not in the middle. The gents do NOT stay in the same place after the down the hall; they switch places with each other when coming up. On Wed, Jul 23, 2014 at 1:28 PM, Keith Tuxhorn <keithlmt(a)gmail.com> wrote: A1/A2... I'm on the outside, holding my N's R hand... With the Dixie twirl, I'm still in that spot. When we bend the line, my P and I are above the 2s, in reversed position. B1: All are swinging in the center of the set. When the swing finishes, all are back to IMP position where they started. B2: With one petronella, I move to the side with my P. When I CA twirl, I'm turning with a N to progress. In B1, if the M cross to their P and swing, then you progress the wrong way. Is the instruction left out in B1 "W cross to P"... ? Keith On Wed, Jul 23, 2014 at 12:08 PM, Dave Casserly <david.j.casserly(a)gmail.com> wrote: Hi Keith, The dance works fine-- I'm not sure where the confusion is. Partner swing is on the side of the set, so one petronella means you're facing up and down the set, next to your partner. A CA twirl then makes you progress. 1s and 2s are indeed across from each other when they swing, which is almost always true when you swing your partner, and when 1s and 2s are across from each other, you're on the same side of the set with your partner. In other words: "1s and 2s are across from each other to swing, and when they finish." Yes. "A petronella would put your partner on the same side . . ." No. -Dave On Wed, Jul 23, 2014 at 12:37 PM, Keith Tuxhorn via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: This dance doesn't work the way I read it. 1s and 2s are across from each other to swing, and when they finish. A petronella would put your partner on the same side; a CA twirl would then send you and your P in opposite directions. Keith Tuxhorn Austin TX -- David Casserly (cell) 781 258-2761 -- David Casserly (cell) 781 258-2761 _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 1 month

does this dance already exist?

by Tepfer, Seth via Callers

Does this dance already exist? I made it up on the spot, but I'd be shocked if it didn't already exist. If no one claims it, I'm calling it last minute contra, unless there is already a dance by that name. duple minor, improper: A1: (8) Circle Left; (8) Left hand Star A2: (8) Partner DSD; (8) Neighbor DSD B1: (16) Neighbor balance and swing B2: (8) Long lines; (8)1s swing _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 1 month

California- looking for Lost Coast dances, Humboldt county?

by Alison Murphy via Callers

Hi y'all, Does anyone know of ongoing contras on the North coast? Arcata/Eureka? The closest things I've found are 3 hours away in Oregon in and Ukiah, and I don't have a car pool. Anyone? Please contact me off-list if you are between NorHum and the Oregon or Ukiah dances, and are interested in trying to set up a car pool. I was active on this list at one time as a newbie caller in Memphis. After moving a few times and a couple more children born, I just don't have enough free time to continue that hobby, but sadly, there is no local contra dance here that I've been able to find. Gmail quit sorting my callers mail into a separate folder for some unknown reason, or I'd never have thought to bother this list with the question. The barn dances I've attended in Arcata are packed with non/newbie dancers, beer is sold, and there is no teaching, not even the names of standard moves taught in many cases, LONG walk-thrus repeated 2x but hardly any actual calling, often no room for a do si-do (much less spinning) because the lines are so full. Squares and traditional dances with long inactive periods. Our Folklife society is very active but I am just an outsider who is critical of the way things are and who doesn't have time to call- I can tell you if I came into some money I'd be trying to organize a contra weekend up here. I gave some contra cards to my favorite local caller but she hasn't done aught with them yet, and that doesn't address the problems of packed dance halls, tipsy college kids who don't know how to share weight, and no teaching. ~Alison Murphy crunchy.mama.murphy(a)gmail.com _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 1 month

Folklore Frolic Uniqueness

by David Notman via Callers

Nice dance, Erik. No exact matches in my files. Here's my closest match. # Name: Saturn Returns # Author1: Unknown # Type: Contra # ContraForm: Becket # Progression: Double # Direction: CW # # A1: (8) Ladies Chain Across # (8) Ladies Chain Back # A2: (8) Left Diagonal Right & Left Through # (8) Straight Across Right & Left Through # B1: (16) Hey for Four (Ladies start right) # B2: (16) Partner Balance & Swing Erik Hoffman's dance: Becket A1 Women chain, over & back A2 Bucksaw (Diagonal Left Right & Left thru; Straight Across Right & Left thru) B1 Petronella Balance; Neighbor Swing B2 Petronella Balance; Partner Swing Made it up at the end of Mendocino Folklore Week, of things most had been doing throughout the week. Still created more of a mix-up than I would have liked. I'm calling it Folklore Frolic, unless I'm informed it's already in the lexicon... _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 1 month

An observation about end effects -- becoming neutral three times at each end

by James Saxe via Callers

I have a little observation to share about end effects that I've never heard anyone else mention. For background, note that in a simple duple-minor contra with no out-of-minor-set actions, dancers who reach an end of the set make the transitions inactive -> neutral -> active at the top or active -> neutral -> inactive at the bottom, in either case becoming neutral and then rejoining the body of the set exactly once. *** Now, how many of you have noticed that in a (duple minor, single progression) dance with a single temporary excursion out of the minor set, dancers will typically become neutral and return to the body of the set not twice, but *THREE* times? For example, suppose dancers leave their minor set to do an action such as a do-si-do, allemande, or star with their future neighbors (call this action the "sneak preview") and then return to original neighbors for the rest of the sequence before genuinely progressing to the new neighbors. An inactive couple starting in a foursome at the top of the set will experience the following transitions: 1. They leave their minor set and become neutral at the start of the sneak preview action. They might then wait in place during the sneak preview action, dance the action with "ghost" neighbors, or dance the action across the set with partners acting as neighbors. 2. At the end of the sneak preview action, they reenter the body of the set to dance the remainder of the sequence with original neighbors. 3. Then they finally progress to start the next round neutral at the top. 4. They temporarily enter the body of the set to dance the next repeat of the sneak preview action. 5. At the end of that sneak preview, they return to being neutral. 6. And finally they progress into the body of the set for good (or until they get to the bottom). The transitions are: inactive -> neutral -> inactive -> neutral -> active -> neutral - > active Similarly, a couple reaching the bottom would experience the transitions: active -> neutral -> active -> neutral -> inactive -> neutral -> inactive A similar analysis applies to dances where dancers briefly revisit previous neighbors or where dancers briefly depart (in various possible ways) from partners for an interaction with shadows. I only noticed this fact last year, after over 30 years of dancing and nearly 30 years of calling, during which I've both danced and called numerous dances with out-of-minor-set actions. I had previously noticed occasional dances in which out-of-minor-set actions result in dancers dealing with end effects three times, but I'd never before done a careful enough analysis to notice just how common it is. I suspect I'm not alone in not noticing. --Jim _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 1 month

Grand Marches

by Luke Donforth via Callers

Hello all, Just yesterday, I was part of a Grand March that Chris Ricciotti led that was such fun, it made me want to up my game for Grand Marches. I'd be curious to hear folks suggestions for: - moves that work well, and how to prompt them - how to gauge space and timing - how to best enroll collaborators (must they be planned ahead, what can you do on the fly) - Train wrecks to avoid - Tempos for the band - suitable crowds (weddings? regular dances? special weekends?) - Transitioning from G.M. straight in to longways sets - Endings for G.M. besides the crowd and clap - Other fun things to incorporate What are good videos that show the action from above? Is it written up anywhere? Or is it one of those learn by doing and stealing things? What folks have passed me so far: New England Dance Masters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9gIFJgDT_c Portland Fancy write-up: http://www.riversidevictoriandance.com/grandmarch.pdf Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend, 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL7k3vftvDE Thanks for any suggestions you have. _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

11 years, 1 month

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Contra Callers July 2014